Why do ants collect sticks, leaves, and other small things and what do they do with them?

Question

I went outside and saw lots of ants just collecting stuff and taking it somewhere in the grass. What could they be doing with it?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Depends on the species of ants.

If they’re collecting leaf material, they are likely one of the farming (or leaf-cutter) ants. They bring plant material back to the nest and place it in special chambers, where a specific type of fungus grows on the plant material. The ants nurture and cultivate this fungus, and use parts of it to feed their larvae. The adults feed on sap from the plants they harvest.